Introduction: Polished Granite Pendant
The other day I went hiking near my house. I found this small flat piece of granite and hoped I could make it into something pretty for a friend of mind. Having zero experience working with stone, I’m glad it turned out the way it did. The metal comes from two American nickels.
To make it I first used tile nips to rough cut a circle. I then double stick taped the stone to a the head of a bolt. I spun the bolt in my drill press and polished it round using only common sand paper (starting at 100 grit then, 400, 1000, and finally 2000). I then burnished it with white candle wax to make it shiny.
For the bezel, I hammered a nickel just enough so the detail of the coin disappeared. I then made a bottle cap shape by hammering it while it was clamped over a socket (full instructions for this method are under “Vintage Locket”. I soldered it to a nail and polished it in my drill press.
For the jump ring I hammered a strip of nickel and formed it around a drill bit to make it circular. I then filed a round notch in it and soldered it to the bezel.
The stone is pressed in, no glue, or bezel setting. That was unintentional though. I tried to dry fit it and then could absolutely not get it back out.
Hope she likes it.
41 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
What if you used a actual bottle cap?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I just got a bag of bottle caps from a near by restuarant. I let you know how it goes.
Reply 5 years ago
Hmm! How DID that work out, Mr B?
11 years ago on Introduction
How long did the stone grinding process take?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I think it took about 15 minutes.
12 years ago on Introduction
I'm having a hard time with getting a rock small enough to start sanding. I made the bezel already. I was surprised at how easy that part was.
How did you dry fit it? I feel like I'd break the rock before it pops in. Thanks for any more details!
Oh yeah, Thanks for the Instructable!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I was lucky enough to find a rock that was already fairly flat. But if your starting with a typical shape rock I would try this. Place your find in an old sock. Hit the stone with a hammer while it's still in the sock. This will break the stone into several pieces while keeping it from flying everywhere. Find the rock piece that best suits you and use a metal file to flatten a portion of the rock enough to mount it. Wear safety glasses.
For the dry fitting I simply placed the sand paper on the edge of the spinning stone and checked it periodically. There wasn't really a popping when I pushed it in. I had intended to use epoxy resin to set it but it turned out to be exactly the right size. I tried to put double stick tape on the polished stone to pull it out but it wouldn't pull out square. All I could do was pull an edge of the stone out a fraction of a millimeter.
If you use epoxy resin wipe off the excess that bleeds outs while it's still wet.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Well I finished it and gifted it on her Bday. She loves it and hasn't taken it off yet! I did the jump ring a bit differently and I also used a soldering iron to solder the jump ring on.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Here it is. I also used a stone that looks like fractured quartz.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Wow.
Just wow. I gotta make one of these for my mother and sisters!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I also wrote a little poem about it. I read the poem to her as I put it on her neck. Sorry I'm not sharing the poem, however it detailed hamming metal and the shock my hands felt, polishing and the burning my fingers felt, how I made it with love, and how she is the only one with a pendant of my love.
Thanks again Mrballeng!
Reo
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
WOW!!! I'm just now seeing this picture. You did a great job. Did you use nickels for the metal?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Thank you. Yes, I used nickels. For the jump ring I flattened a nickel and polished it. Then I cut off 4 pieces to make some thing that looked like an octogon. Folded the octogon over a small drill bit, and shaped with a dremel and grinding stone.
Soldering with the Iron was interesting. At first I didn't think I was going to get a good solder flow. I applied flux to the bezel and jump ring, then I put them together on a strip of double sided tape to hold them steady. Then I heated them with the soldering iron. I then dropped a little piece of solder on the joint and melted it. The solder melted into a ball, but it was connecting both parts. I added a little more solder off to the side of the 1st ball and it made another ball. This next step is the important step for using a soldering iron, I then coated the two balls and parts of the bezel and jump ring with flux. This time when I applied the soldering iron the solder flowed nicely into the contact point of the bezel and jump ring. The solder was very clean and even. I just cleaned up the solder with 1000 grit sandpaper and then polished it the rest of the way.
Thanks again, she loves it!
11 years ago on Introduction
Hi, first time... I'm in Jamaica, and am a lapidary using local agates.. On holding a/the piece of stone to be polished..use epoxy to fasten it to the stick that you manipulate it with. .. its easiest thing. To remove the stick, just place in the freezer for about half an hour,, the difference in shrinkage between the two materials will cause it to pop off with no problem. Below are some agate pictures.. tony P.S.for all who did not know that "the islands" had semi-precious stone material.. I may be reached at tony@peeniwalli.com
12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for the instructable. I made mine from quartz. It was a bit difficult with the oval shape, but I'm still happy with it
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
God Job. I'm with you. I think it turned out great.
12 years ago on Introduction
do you think this could be done with a peace of thick beach glass?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I think so though I've never done it. Just make sure your careful.
12 years ago on Introduction
WOW. I'll be honest- if my husband gave me a pendant like that that he'd made himself? I would cry, flat out, then put it on and probably never take it off again. This is just absolutely stunning! You've turned 10 cents and a piece of rock into something worth handing down, even moreso because you made it yourself.
I would LOVE to buy you a beer and pick your brain! (Or a coffee, since I don't really drink beer! :D)
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks mslaynie. My drink of choice is cream soda=).